November 15, 2022
Bishop, W. F. Houston, Jr.
Matthew 6:25-34 (LB)
25 “So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things—food, drink, and clothes. For you already have life and a body—and they are far more important than what to eat and wear. 26 Look at the birds! They don’t worry about what to eat—they don’t need to sow or reap or store up food—for your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. 27 Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. 29 Yet King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully as they. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you, O men of little faith?

31-32 “So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, 33 and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to.

34 “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.
Where do you feel most anxious right now? Is it your well-being, the state of your family, or perhaps your financial situation? Even though we are confident that our heavenly Father is looking out for us and that His promises can be relied upon, many of us nevertheless find ourselves experiencing anxiety.
Though life's obligations deserve our undivided focus, worrying about them can be corrosive, eating away our faith in God even as it drains us of energy. What, then, can we do to fix the problem?
First and foremost, we must increase our trust in and submission to God. The more we study the Bible and learn about our Father's actual character, the more confident we will be that He is concerned with every aspect of our lives. Then, as we make choices based on this information and comply, our faith in Him will become stronger.
Remind yourself of your heavenly Father and the promises that He has made whenever you feel the beginnings of anxiousness creeping in. Scriptures that speak to His love, strength, and character should dominate your thoughts. Recite His promises and give Him your concerns. He will take care of them. Because He has commanded you not to be anxious, your failure to obey this instruction constitutes disobedience. But if you come to Him for assistance, He will teach you how-to cast-off anxiety and embrace a life of tranquility.